From Meissen, from the series "Four Elements" by Meissen. In the form of a pitcher. On an oval base, a rounded body with a raised, tapered neck and a volute-shaped, relief-decorated spout. On each side, there are plastic handles in the shape of a dragon, rising shield leaves, a bundle of ears, and puffed-up fabric, crowned by a floating putto. Relief-decorated and fully modeled decoration consisting of various mythological figures, putti, and animals representing the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. Embodied on the shoulder and the wall by the Roman gods Vulcan with a bellows, Neptune with a trident accompanied by dolphins, Nereids, and hippocampi, as well as by the faun for the forest and Diana for the hunt, and by Juno with a scepter accompanied by a peacock as her attribute. The foot and the upper rim covered with relief-decorated rocailles, seaweed, shell, oak leaf, and feather reliefs. The central wall with scenic representation on both sides. The vase of fire shows the devastating event of a blazing forest fire with fleeing forest animals among green oak leaves, or a volcanic eruption in a mountainous landscape at sunrise. The vase of water shows a relief-decorated surface of the sea with waves and a pictorial representation of a fleet of ships. The vase of earth shows a green landscape traversed by mountain ranges under a blue sky, as well as deer, bears, and leaping dogs. The vase of air shows large, relief-plastically bulging clouds with flying cranes, ducks, and an eagle. The spout and foot are surrounded by relief-decorated rocailles, shield leaves, oak leaves, and feathers. The decorated decor on the neck consists of flowers, salamanders, dragonflies, beetles, or butterflies on a white background. Fine polychrome painting with gold rim. Either by Johann Joachim Kaendler, around 1741/42. Restored; sword mark. Meissen. 19th century; H. 63 cm - 67 cm. The original versions of the elemental vases in white porcelain were part of a five-piece garniture, which included a magnificent covered vase with the pictorial, laurel-crowned profile portrait of the French king Louis XV (1710-1774) and an allegorical image program praising France. They were intended as a gift from Elector Friedrich August III, son of August the Strong, to the French king in order to strengthen the alliance between the two countries. Due to the changed political situation following the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), however, the four elemental vases remained at the Dresden court. Due to the technical and risky effort involved in their production, several versions or sets of the elemental vases were made. Today, they can be seen in a new representation in the reconstructed porcelain cabinet in the Dresden Residenzschloss. See Loesch, cat. The porcelain cabinet, p. 87ff., Fig. 2, 5; Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Inv. No. PE 7789. A complete ensemble of four splendid monumental jug-shaped porcelain vases representing the four elements Fire, Water, Earth, and Air with mythological figures, rich applied and painted decoration. Restored. Crossed swords mark. Meissen. 19th century.
